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Mel Gibson in contention to direct Suicide Squad sequel

Story by Jack Foley

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MEL Gibson is among the contenders to direct the sequel to Suicide Squad.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, talks between Warner Bros and Gibson are still at an early stage, although the filmmaker and Oscar nominee [for Hacksaw Ridge] is familiarising himself with the material.

No official offer has been made at this stage.

Gibson is not the only name in contention either. Daniel Espinosa, of Safe House fame, is another name in the hat, having just come off of directing the Jake Gyllenhaal-Ryan Reynolds sci-fi thriller Life.

David Ayer, who directed the initial outing, is now developing Gotham City Sirens, a project that reunites him with Margot Robbie and focuses on the female villains of the DC Universe.

High hopes surrounded Suicide Squad prior to its release last summer. The film featured a rogue’s gallery of DC villains, including Deadshot, Harley Quinn, the Joker, Captain Boomerang and Killer Croc, who come together for a suicide mission at the government’s request.

However, the film was roundly panned by critics who saw it as a bad movie. It did, however, gross $745 million worldwide, enough to put a sequel on the fast-track.

Gibson would be an interesting choice for director, especially since he is known for a more gritty, even violent style of filmmaking off the back of critical and commercial hits The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto and now Hacksaw Ridge.

The success of the latter film has also put Gibson back in the frame for more Hollywood work. He is in talks to join Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg for Paramount’s Daddy’s Home 2, and is re-teaming with Hacksaw Ridge actor Vince Vaughn for gritty crime indie Dragged Across Concrete.